Rail anchor



A. I. APPLETON March 3, 1959 RAIL ANCHOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27. 1956 itd s s PatenfQf RAIL ANCHOR Arthur I. Appleton, Northbrook, Ill. Application January 27, 1956, Serial No. 561,848 7 2 Claims. (Cl. 238-338) The present invention relates to rail holding appliances and, more specifically, to a novel rail 'anchor adapted to prevent longitudinal displacement of railroad rails under traflic. g, a

The tendency of railroad rails to move longitudinally or creep ahead of; a train in the same direction as the base The plate 16 may also have train is traveling has long been known. Heretofore, the

approach to this problem has been to provide rail anchors which grip or clamp the'rails to prevent such displacement, each anchor acting in one direction. The necessity for gripping the rail at all times, including periods of rest and periods of trafiijc, has introduced complexity and expense into the construction of conventional rail anchors.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel rail anchor capable of opposing longitudinal rail displacement or creepage in two directions rather than in just one direction.

Another object is to provide a rail anchor of the character just set forth and which takes full advantage of existing rail bases and tie plates.

A further object is to provide a rail anchor of the foregoing type comprising a single unit of simple, economical, and rugged construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing a pair of rail anchors, each embodying the invention, installed on a railroad rail.

Fig. 2v is a vertical sectional view through one of the anchors and the rail of Fig. 1, taken in the plane of the line 2-2, the other anchor being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of one of the rail anchors shown in Fig. 1 but looking toward one side of the rail.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of rail anchor also embodying the invention.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in considerable detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring more specifically to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the invention is there exemplified in an illustrative rail anchor 10 and in this instance two such anchors are shown, one on each side of the rail. Each anchor is adapted to engage a rail 11 and oppose longitudinal creepage of the same. Although the anchors 10 are shown in close proximity to each other, it will be appreciated that a wide variety of patterns may be followed for installing the anchors along the rail.

By way of background, it might be noted that rail 11 .sion of a top surface is of conventional form, comprising a head 12, web 14 and a flange or base 15. The rail is mounted on a tie plate 16 which, in turn, is mounted on a conventional w cross 18. .In this case, the tie plate 16 has a cambered seat 19 which carries the rail base 15, the seat 19 being situated between laterally spaced, upstanding ribs 20. Immediately adjacent the seat 19, the tie plate 16 is provided with the usual four substantially square holes 21 for receiving the hold-down spikes which engage the rail additional holes 22 for spiking it directly to the tie independently of the rail holddown spikes. While four spike holes 21 are customarily provided'adjacent the rail, it is common practice to use only two spikes, one on each side of the rail base. This leaves two spike holes 21 normally vacant.

In conformity with the objectives set forth earlier herein, each rail anchor contained unit which is adapted to oppose longitudinal than in one direction only min the case of conventional rail anchors now in widespread commercial use. This is accomplished, moreover, by taking advantage of structural features already present in the rail and tie plate.

Accordingly, it will be noted that the anchor 10 comprises a head 24 which is relatively heavy and massive compared to the head on an ordinary rail spike, having a depending stud 25 adapted tofit into the spike hole 21 of the tie plate. The stud preferably has a cross section comparable to that of the hole 21 but slightly smaller so that it has a small amount of clearance. On the side adjacent the rail base, the stud 25 has a shoulder 26 which is adapted to preclude withdrawal of the stud from the spike hole 21 after the rail anchor has been installed. To facilitate installation and initial positioning of the rail anchor 10, the depending end of the stud 25 has a point 28 which is adapted to penetrate the tie 18, permitting the anchor to be driven into position by striking the head 24 with a sledge hammer. The point 28 is otfset with respect to the vertical axis of the stud and is situated approximately under the shoulder 26, thus causing the same to drift laterally under the bottom edge of the tie plate as the rail anchor is driven in. Driving of the anchor into initial position is also facilitated by the provi- 29 on the head and which is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stud 25.

For the purpose of engaging the rail itself, the anchor head 24 is extended laterally with respect to the stud so as to overlie the rail base 15. The extended portion of the head is provided with a threaded bore 31 extending between its upper and lower surfaces, the bore being skewed somewhat and inclined toward the upright axis of the stud 25. Threadedly engaged within the bore 30 is a large, heavy set screw 31. The latter is provided with tool-engaging means in the form of a head 32 and has a lower end 34 adapted to bite into the upper surface of the rail base.

In order to minimize the chances of damage to the screw 31 as the anchor 10 is driven into position for installation, it may be found advantageous to temporarily remove the screw 31. In order to protect the threads of the bore 31 under such conditions, the top surface 29 of the anchor head is relieved so as to define a countersunk recess 35 surrounding the upper end of the bore 30.

With the constructions just described, and referring to the anchor 10 as shown on the left-hand side of Fig. 2, it will be appreciated that tightening of the screw 31 will lock the anchor 10 in place. Due to the acute angle or skew between the axis of the bore 30 and screw 31, on the one hand, and the axis of the stud 25, on the other hand, the stud becomes slightly cocked in the hole 21 and strongly resists withdrawal. In addition to this, however,

10 is fashioned as a single, self initial tightening of the screw 31 tends to draw the shoulder 26 up against the bottom of the tie plate '16 so as to provide a positive means of preventing pull-out of the stud from the hole 21. jhs indicated. earlier herein, the lowerend 34 of the screw bites i into the rail base and clamps the latter hard against the; tie plate '16; Since the tie plate is already anchored to the tie,v it will be appreciated that suchtclamping action by the rail anchor 10 restrains the rail against longitudinal displacement in either direction. 7

Turning now toFig. 4, there is shown a slightly modified form of rail anchor 10A similar to the'anchor 10 and also embodying the invention. The anchor 10A differs from the anchor 10, however, in that the positive shoulder 26 on stud 25A is eliminated and the stud is provided with a point 28A on its longitudinal axis. The anchor 10A is in all other respects'similar to the anchor 10.

"I claim as my invention:

.1. A rail anchor for preventing longitudinal creepage ofa railroad rail, said rail being mounted on a tie with a tie plate interposed between the rail base and thetie and having spike holes therein, said anchor comprising a stud projecting through one of the spike holes of the tie plate and into engagement with the tie, a point on the end of said stud engaging said tie, a head on the upper end of said stud extending inwardly over one side of the rail base, said head having a threaded bore extending to cock the stud, laterally of the therethrough, and a set screw engaged in said bore, the axis of said screw and bore being disposed at an acute angle to the axis of said stud, whereby tightening of the screw against the rail base tends to cock the stud laterally of the rail.

2. A rail anchor for preventing longitudinal creepage of a railroad rail, said rail being mounted on a tie with a tie plate interposed between the rail base and the tie and having spike holes therein, said anchor comprising a stud projecting through one of the spike holes of the tie plate and into engagement with the tie, a point on the end of said studengaging said tie, a lateral shoulder on the side of said stud adjacent the rail engaging the tie plate, a head on ;the upper end of said stud extending inwardly over one side of the rail base, said head having a threaded bore extending therethrough, and a set screw engaged in said bore, the axis of said screw and bore being disposed at an acute angle to the axis ofsaidstud, whereby tighteningtof the screw against the rail base tends rail.

Re ren es-Ci e in. hafil o th t n UNITED STATES PATENTS 

